


I Kissed a Boy (And I Liked It)

by Sister_Grimm



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Coming Out, Implied Relationships, M/M, implied student/teacher relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 07:25:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7305091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sister_Grimm/pseuds/Sister_Grimm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Until the beginning of third year, Cisco Ramon was comfortably heterosexual. Then he met Cute but Condescending at the video store. Then everything got complicated</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Kissed a Boy (And I Liked It)

"Ronnie, put your shirt back on!", Cisco yelps, hoping his blush wasn't obvious.

Ronnie laughs, holding the shirt he'd literally just stripped off, "It's like 90 degrees out. Fuck shirts."

"I'm not sure why you're complaining.", Caitlin teases back

"Ronnie and his abs are making me feel bad.", Cisco whines with an exaggerated pout .

The kitchen had gone from clean to covered in stuff in the under 5 minutes since they'd returned from the bookstore with a semester's worth of textbooks, times 3 people.

"I'll order pizza and then my abs can stop intimidating you."

"Dude, your abs are awesome but like I don't need to see them nearly as often as I do."

"I do!", Caitlin said with a giggle.

"Seriously, who pre drinks text book shopping and geeze, Cait, I remember when you were all shy and innocent.", hey look, Barry finally caught up with them.

"Barry, how can you have a track scholarship and still always take forever?", Cisco asks, glad to take the literal and metaphorical heat off himself.

"Law of conversation of energy?

Ronnie, Caitlin and Cisco all look at each other before Caitlin says, "I don't even know where to start with that!"

Barry just laughs and nabs the pizza menu out of Ronnie's hand.

***

The pizza place is only about two blocks so they send Barry and Cisco down to pick them up.

"Does this mean I am forever alone?", Cisco says, semi seriously.

"You?", Barry laughs, "Nah."

"All jokes aside, I'm glad you and Iris got it together."

They don't live far from campus either, student housing but a step above residence. And split amongst the four of them it's cheap enough. The pizza place is a little sketchy looking and keeping crazy hours to deal with drunk students and it's next to one of the last video places in the city probably. Cisco leaves Barry with the pizza as he jumps in for some found footage movies to get themselves in the start of term mood.

"Are you constructing some deep thesis on demon possession movies as allegory for starting school again?", Barry says looking at the pile of movies in Cisco's hands.

"I'm an engineer, not an English major."

"But you are a nerd and that's basically the same thing."

"Guilty as charged.", Cisco chuckles, holding up his hands.

The final stop on the "goddamnit school starts on Monday" supply run is the liquor store. In honour of this fact Barry and Cisco are on a quest to find the bitterest IPAs they can. They've gotten a little distracted in the craft brewing aisle. It doesn't take long for Barry to pointedly remind him they have the pizza so Cisco grabs a IPA from a brewery out of Coast City and an Imperial Red he's never tried.

Ronnie rolls his eyes when they arrive, "Told you Cait, liquor runs with Cisco should always be done before the pizza is picked up." Also Iris arrived while they were gone, they must have actually taken forever.

Cisco laughs, "Rude, Ronnie."

Caitlin grabs the two pizzas from Barry. One back bacon and pepperoni and one vegetarian because moderation or whatever. Barry grabs plates before Caitlin even gets a chance to lecture them on being slobs. 

Iris picks up the Imperial Red, "What was the theme this time?"

"Bitterness.", Barry mumbles around a mouthful of pizza.

Iris raises an eyebrow, "Isn't an Imperial Red cheating?"

"This is why you're my favourite, Iris.", Cisco says, laughing as he grabs a piece of pizza for himself. 

"I know, right?"

Caitlin has gotten distracted by the movies that have been tossed on the counter, "Bloody Mary, Enemy Within and Gotham Haunting. This looks like our Netflix queue when we've left Cisco in charge."

"I'm gonna plead the 5th here.", Cisco says opening his beer.

Iris grins, "I for one, await our found footage overlords." And she toasts Cisco with a grin.

***

"For what it's worth, Carter's a douche.", Iris says, her speech slurring.

"Yeah, I got that vibe.", Cisco acknowledges, eyes focused on pisspoor jump scares, "Doesn't change that she dumped me for him."

"Why are people dumb?"

"The million dollar question.", Barry laughs.

"How did these people get medical licenses?", Caitlin yelps during a flashback scene.

"There's a complex multifaceted answer about ableism and medical autonomy and I am too drunk to go there.", Iris says sagely. 

***

The next morning Cisco is more than a little hungover as he makes coffee and he's the only one up because no amount of liquor has managed to keep him in bed longer than 9:00 AM. The place is even more of a disaster than usual, beer bottles all over the living space. So he figures he might as well take out the recycling while he's thinking about it.

The other errand is returning those movies, so once he's got the bag of bottles tossed in the recycling he goes to change and grab his headphones for the walk. The sunglasses counter balance for the fact that his music makes his head hurt. Cisco smiles at Shawna, Lisa's friend and more importantly at the moment, the cash register girl. "How was the adventure into found footage hell?", she asks with a grin.

He points at his sunglasses, "Painful."

"Found footage, really?", comes a voice behind him and he turns to find himself staring at an attractive guy with glasses around his height and maybe slightly older than him, lips curled in distaste. 

"Yes. Adventures in human ingenuity, how did people ever manage to scare people without night vision before."

The guy chuckles dryly and Cisco just watches him, throat dry as the guy steps over and grabs one of the movies, "Enemy Within, set in a psych ward, how progressive.", his fingers brushing Cisco's in the process and Cisco swears he feels the electricity.

Cisco laughs and admits, "It was painfully bad. Spoiler alert, maybe abusing people who are possessed by demons is a bad idea."

"I think there's a video game with that plot.", the guy says with a carefully affected level of chill.

"There were several, but you're forgiven for not knowing that.", Cisco fires back.

"You want good found footage, you should watch Aokigahara. It's a Japanese found footage film that blends Japanese and Western tropes really well. I mean it's probably better in the original Japanese but you could still give it a try.", the guy says with a condescending smirk that shouldn't be half that attractive. 

You're straight, Cisco's brain helpfully plugs while he stands there like a fish for split second before stuttering, "Uh, thanks. I'll check it out." And the guy nods and waves lazily as he turns and walks away.

Shawna just smiles, "Best way to get over someone is under someone else."

"I, what?", Cisco blurts out.

"About a month ago, you rented a frankly ridiculous amount of rom coms and also The Room. Break up?"

"Oh. Uh. Yeah. I'm not, though. I mean I'm straight." And his words kind of all get tangled up and Shawn shrugs.

"Popcorn. Cures hangovers.", she says, offering him some with a smile.

***

Cisco curses the engineering gods when his alarm goes off at 7 on Monday morning. Why did he sign up for an 8 am Control Systems class? Oh right because engineering abhors free will. He also has a five am text from Oliver asking if he's making it to Nine Lives, the boxing gym they both go to, that night.

"Yes. And also why were you awake?" Cisco texts before he swaps nerdy t-shirts. Han shot first, of course, always a crowd pleaser. And he hears Ronnie unlock the door after his run. Caitlin has got the coffee going and when he pokes his head out the door, Cisco determines Barry is probably still asleep. Asshole.

Ronnie laughs, "Welcome to the world of the living."

"It's 7 am, fuck you.", Cisco mumbles good naturedly as he grabs a bagel and pours some coffee.

At least he won't be suffering alone, Ronnie looks equally enthused about the class.

***

They settle into one of the back rows of the room. And out of the corner of his eye Cisco catches sight of a familiar looking figure. Hey, is that Cute but Condescending from the video store? And he turns to get a better look, and yeah it definitely is. He's swapped the oversized black hoodie for a collared shirt but it's definitely him and why is Cisco not surprised he's in the front row?

Though if he's a third year Cisco's surprised he's never at least seen him before Sunday. Except then Dr. Wells enters and immediately starts writing on the board, and his phone vibrates.

Oliver. Answering his text. "Early to bed, early to rise?"

Cisco sniggers, "Now I know you're lying."

"Poor life choices?"

"Much more likely."

And finally Cisco zones back into what Dr. Wells is saying. "And this is your TA, Hartley Rathaway."

Oh. Oh fuck.

Cute but Condescending waves his arm vaguely and then Wells starts talking again. The first class isn't terribly interesting and after all the intro stuff is done, Wells clears his throat and says, "I'm not going to make a habit out of it but why don't you guys cut out 15 minutes early", with a charming smile. 

Ronnie grins, "More coffee?"

"Always more coffee.", Cisco affirms with a glance back at Hartley who is leaning on the podium talking to Wells, though from how close they're standing it almost looks...flirtatious? But he grabs his bag and follows Ronnie towards the campus Jitters outpost in the student centre. 

Iris smiles when she sees him, "The usual?"

"Of course."

"Cavities waiting to happen.", Ronnie laughs as he orders his own coffee.

"One black, one black eye with caramel and almond milk.", Iris calls after a couple of minutes.

And it's time for them to go their separate ways, Cisco still has two more classes. The enthralling sounding engineering Econ course and fluid dynamics. But he also has a few hours to kill so he drinks his coffee and reads a comic book instead of studying.

 

***

By 5 pm he is sick of campus so he heads home, grabs his gym bag and heads down to Nine Lives. Ted waves at him as he walks in and he spots Laurel so he points to indicate that he's gonna change and then catch up with her.

He braces the bag for Laurel as she starts throwing elbows. "Long day?"

"Law students are assholes sometimes.", she grits out in frustration.

He laughs, "That doesn't really surprise me. What is it your criminal law profs always say?"

"Lawyers are in the business of law not Justice.", Laurel says with a sigh.

After some warming up on the bag, they face down for some sparring and Cisco swings first. Pretty much always a mistake and one he makes continuously, he left a weak point in his guard and Laurel socks him and he lays on the floor for a moment as Laurel apologizes profusely and helps him up.

He grins, "Feel better?"

"Actually, yes.", she laughs.

"My turn?"

"Try.", she challenges.

"Challenge fucking accepted.", and he pushes thoughts of disarmingly cute TAs out of his mind and focuses on landing his hits. 

It's one of those days and he doesn't end up stopping until about 8, an hour after Laurel does and he just moves back to the bags before stretching. He loves Nine Lives almost as much as he loves the university and he leans on the rope of the ring drinking his water and Oliver sighs, "Want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever's had you nonstop since you got here.", Oliver says, he probably knows Cisco trying to deflect, Oliver is book dumb but good at people. 

Cisco sighs, "Cute TA in one of my classes. Caught me off guard."

Oliver gives him a look which almost screams "I know you're holding out on me but fine." And no, Cisco isn't really sure why he's neglecting to mention that his TA is male. After all, he notices Ronnie all the time, and Oliver's a babe but he doesn't want to kiss them the way he maybe sort of might possibly want to kiss his TA. 

Just to get it out of his system.

Oliver shrugs when Cisco doesn't give him any more and picks up some pads, "C'mon, show what you got, nerd."

And Cisco laughs and just starts throwing punches, controlled and quick, for speed not power.

***

It's actually started to get dark by the time he heads home and with his gym bag thrown over his shoulder he finally feels like he's left some of the tension behind. He checks his phone as he gets ready to plug in his music and he has a text from Lisa, "Party on Friday. My place. Be there."

He laughs, Len's an asshole but it would be good to see Lisa again. He'd still sleep with her but he's pretty sure he's not in love with her anymore. Pretty sure.

"And risk disappointing you? Never.", he texts back. 

***

Friday night rolls along and he heads over to the vaguely rundown part of town where the siblings Snart live with a six pack of beer that is good enough to make Len pretend to respect him but he won't be pissed if Axel or Mick drink all of it. Lisa opens the door for him, passing the beer to someone beside her as she tackles him and Cisco laughs as she turns, "Cisco, Hartley."

It's his fucking TA who nods approvingly at Cisco's taste in beer.

Lisa smiles, "We're all out back." And the three of them head out to the backyard where Mick has stoked a bonfire and Len is arguing with someone about something.

Cisco turns to Hartley, "So how do you know these guys?"

Hartley tensed, "Len got me out of a questionable situation." It sounds like it's probably a long story but Cisco doesn't ask.

They fall into an easy silence as Axel pelts Mick with small pebbles to get his attention and loudly proclaims the need for s'mores.

"I swear to god Axel is 12.", Hartley mutters.

Lisa smiles, "Cisco, you'd like this, Hartley is getting a master's in mechanical engineering."

You don't say, Cisco thinks dryly. "What's your thesis on?"

"Architectural acoustics and it's uses in disability accommodation.", Hartley says smugly.

And Cisco knows enough of that to ask relevant questions.

Which as everyone knows is the time honoured way to seduce an academic. It's just the two of them talking about science in a secluded part of the porch and Cisco steps in close, slants his mouth over Hartley's, tastes beer in his lips and it's basically like kissing a girl, warm and soft and Hartley pulls him closer, kisses him back. 

Cisco's not sure how long they stay like that, kissing with Hartley's long fingers trailing under his shirt before Lisa clears her throat behind them and Cisco jumps back.

"Didn't know you swung that way, Cisco."

And even in the dark, there's a split second shift in emotion on Hartley's face and then he laughs, dry and biting, "The old three beer queer. Though you might be a lightweight." And Cisco feels like he's just been slapped as Hartley walks away.

 

***

Monday is awful. It's his first tutorial. And he's walking with Ronnie and Wally as they slip into the classroom and Hartley is leaning against the wall when he sees Cisco and his face goes white and then he schools it back into careful neutrality.

"Understand this", Hartley explains, "Dr. Wells may have the Ph.D but I am bad cop in this situation. This class will not be easy."

"Could this guy be anymore pretentious?", Wally texts and Cisco really wants to the ground to swallow him up every time Hartley makes eye contact with him, which, despite the careful neutrality, is a lot.

***

"Cisco, can you help me take this stuff back to my office?"

Ronnie shrugs apologetically as Cisco moves to help Hartley. The walk to the 3rd floor of the engineering building is awkward. None of the easy click from the party on Friday, just thick tension and that same spark. But finally they get to the small windowless office and Hartley looks at him, hawkeyed behind round glasses, "Look, as much fun as I'm sure having your little bicurious adventure with your TA was, I would like to keep my job so I'd advise against bringing it up."

It's a defensive speech so Cisco snaps back, "Why does Hartley RATHAWAY need a job, anyway."

The carefully neutral expression remains as Hartley responds flatly, "Google it."

***

Cisco does.

He feels like an asshole.

***

Like most bad days he ends up at Nine Lives and he and Laurel are taking turns on the heavy bag when he says, "I need advice."

"Ok.", Laurel grits out as she hits the bag one last time.

"I sort of kissed my TA."

She raises an eyebrow as though she's waiting for more an explanation, and Cisco continues, "Party on Friday, I knew he was my TA, he didn't."

"He?", Laurel says slowly, as though she's confirming what she heard.

Cisco closes his eyes and sighs, "Yeah. We just clicked but then I ran into him today and he was an asshole about the whole thing."

"Well it is unethical and he could lose his job.", Laurel points out.

"And until I met him I thought I was straight, but I kissed him and I just wanted to keep kissing him.", he sighs, voice shaking with nerves and frustration.

"Bisexuality is a thing. Or maybe it's just him. Sara says UM Central has a good QSA?"

Now it's Cisco's turn to be confused.

"Queer Students Association.", Laurel explains, "You should check it out."

He nods, "Another round?"

She smiles and they head into the ring.

***

It takes about a week before he drinks enough metaphorical liquid courage and pushes open the door to the UM Central QSA and is greeted by an armful of Sara Lance. "Cisco, did my sister send you to check up on me?"

He shakes his head and hugs her, "No, I'm uh, here about me."

Sara nods, "Ok, we have peer support or you can bitch to the void and see what it has to say."

"Uh, the void?", Cisco muses as he sinks into an overstuffed couch.

"Talk,", Sara commands.

And it feels like his first real smile of the day, "I have a crush on my very male TA and until basically last week I was 100% comfortable in my heterosexuality and now...", he flails his arms.

Sara nods, "So like, you want to bang your TA."

"Uh, probably? I kissed him before the semester got properly started.", Cisco says nervously.

Sara laughed, "Fucking smooth, Ramon."

"Not really. He found out I was his student later and was kind of a dick about the whole thing."

"Awkward.", calls a guy with a Mohawk sitting beside a reasonably attractive blond.

"Be more helpful, M.", Sara snaps.

M smiles, "Just fuck the damn TA."

"Do not do that.", Sara sighs.

"Yeah, majorly unethical, definitely got that lecture from Laurel.", Cisco says with a laugh.

"She's a lawyer. Sort of. She knows these things."

And Sara finally takes a split second to introduce him to people. 

M, the tough guy with a Mohawk, and his boyfriend Andrew, who looks like a living Ken doll.

Maggie, a blonde criminology student.

He's surprised to see Roy Harper there and Roy promises not to tell Oliver and introduces him to his friend Sin.

And the door swings open and Cisco nearly jumps a foot in the air. Christ, Cisco, you are a trained semi-pro boxer, he chastises himself when he comes face to broad chest with a tall guy he thinks he's seen around engineering.

"Ray Palmer.", the guy says, holding out his hand and shifting his weight as his bag hits his hip.

***

Ray, it turns out, is a robotics grad student.

"You know Ronnie Raymond right?"

"Yeah, actually. How did you know that?"

"I'm the TA for his electromagnetic devices class. I've seen you around."

"You notice the friends of all of your students?", Cisco jokes. Is he flirting with this guy?

"Only the cute ones." Ray says and then he seems to realize what he just said and turns red, "I'm sorry that was awkward."

Cisco pauses, "Want to get coffee?"

He hears Sara laugh as Ray nods and they peace out towards Jitters.

***

Cisco clearly remembers his first kiss, at 17. Lisa had dragged him to some party and he drinking the beer she gave him slowly and she smiles at him and takes his beer and leans in and kisses him.

His first kiss with Ray comes a few weeks into casual coffee dates wavering on the line for more. Ray is helping him study for his control systems midterm, and mostly they are just existing in each other's space - Ray working on his thesis, Cisco studying - and it's nice. They've split some Chinese food and they're tossing ideas around and Ray's enthusiasm is so genuine, he clearly loves his research. Cisco turns to look at Ray and as his eyes flicker down to Ray's lips and he makes his decision, kissing him slowly.

It's much less awkward than that first kiss at 17, and not as hungry as the first kiss with Hartley but it's very nice. Cisco smiles, "I've been thinking about doing that all night."

Ray smiles and kisses him again, "Finally.", he laughs against Cisco's lips.

They hear a knock on the door and Ray drags himself off the couch they're on. And Cisco gets up slowly, takes a moment to appreciate Ray's tousled hair as he opens the door. "Hartley, hey."

Fucking hell.

"I need to borrow your old statics textbook."

"Why?", Ray asked with a chuckle.

"It became relevant and I sold mine."

"No problem, come on in."

Hartley pads in as Ray turns back to an impressively stocked library of textbooks. Cisco just kind of nods in Hartley's direction and Hartley looks from Ray's messy hair to Cisco's flushed cheeks and raises an eyebrow, Cisco just turns brighter red. 

"Here you go.", Ray says finally, handing Hartley the thick gray book he'd been looking for.

"You're a lifesaver, Palmer." And as he's on his way out, he calls out, "Oh and Cisco, good luck on Monday."

The urge to flip the smug prick off is too real.

Cisco lays back on the couch, "I have a series of fights coming up next weekend. You should come watch."

"As your friend, or...", Ray trails off awkwardly.

It's an important question, one Cisco has been avoiding since they started going for coffee. He's been feeding himself some speech about not needing labels that he's hashed over with Sara God knows how many times but is he ready to introduce Ray to everyone? 

"Would you want to go as my date?", Cisco asks quietly.

"Yeah, it sounds fun. Just if it's gonna make things hard for you at the gym or something...", Ray fumbles out.

"It'll be fine. Boxers are old-school sometimes but I'm pretty good."

***

The midterm is refreshingly straight forward. Even if it is at 8 am on a Monday and even Hartley looks like he ran out of fucks to give in an Engineering hoodie and his hair a mess. Maybe looking a little, uh, rode hard, like he hadn't gotten much sleep. He's a good looking guy when he's pulled together and pristine but this is stupid hot. So between questions he kind of lets his eyes wander to follow Hartley's pacing through the room.

He does the math and watches the clock and watches Hartley.

***

Cisco smiles when Ray gets to the gym, he's finished his warm up so he waves Ray over and turns to Laurel, "Laurel, this is my boyfriend, Ray."

"Nice to meet you.", she says with a grin and she steps forward to hug him and pauses, "Sorry, I'm already a little gross."

Ray shrugs and hugs her anyway.

Barry and Iris are talking to Oliver in a corner. And Roy and Sin and Thea are chatting while they all warm up.

"Uh, hi.", Ronnie sounds very confused at the sight of his TA.

"Hi!", Ray chirps brightly.

"Uh, Ronnie, Caitlin. My boyfriend, Ray." 

And both of them look at him in shock, ok maybe he could have eased them into this a bit better but after a terrifyingly long moment, Ronnie blurts out, "You're dating my TA?"

Cisco nods and Ronnie kind of chuckles, "Nice." And that breaks the tension.

He and Roy go head to head in the middle of the set. And Cisco slips his mouth guard in and he waves to Ray before the fight starts. It represents one of the first fights were Cisco doesn't swing first. 

He wins, which is nice because he and Roy are pretty evenly matched and it comes down to one well placed elbow on Cisco's part and Roy drops.

He leaps out of the ring as soon as John calls it and while he's still high on adrenaline he presses his lips against Ray's in glee.

***

He gets an A- on his midterm and tutorial ends and Hartley asks him to stay back for a moment, "I'm really disappointed in your midterm."

Cisco raises an eyebrow, "I got an A-."

"You're the smartest person in this class other than me. You could have aced that exam. You didn't. Do better." And Hartley walks away, leaving Cisco's heart thrumming and his throat dry.

***

Lisa claims they're celebrating the winding down of the semester but since Lisa isn't even in school, Cisco is pretty sure she just wants an excuse to throw a party. He's ok with that. Drags Ray with him, so he's not alone with Lisa and Len's crazy ass friends.

It's starting to get chilly so the party stays inside. He sees Hartley talking to Len in a corner and gets distracted by pictures of Lisa in her skating costumes, "You were adorable, Lisa."

She laughs. 

Ray meanwhile has somehow gotten deeply engrossed in a conversation with Mick about cooking techniques and Cisco smiles to himself.

"I think we might keep him.", Len says coming up behind him.

Cisco raises an eyebrow, "Um?"

"Mick likes him and he's cute. Let me know when you're done with him."

"I think this is first conversation we've had where you aren't implicitly threatening me."

"You think.", is all Len says in response. And he is amazed that someone as difficult as Len knows this many people because even Sara shows up. And Cisco sticks close to her for a while. Hartley is lingering by the makeshift bar and finally Cisco runs out of people he trusts enough to ask to get him more liquor so he goes over himself.

He scans the liquor covered table, with bottles that range from cheap whisky to reasonably high quality beer. He opts for a bottle of beer and turns to Hartley, "Want one?"

Hartley nods and Cisco opens a bottle for him. "So, how's your thesis coming?", Cisco finally asks, to break the awkward silence.

"Pretty good. Dr. Wells works me pretty hard though.", and there's something is his voice - I know something you don't know, maybe- Hartley rubs his wrist as he talks and Cisco thinks he notices a small hickey at the base of Hartley's throat and thinks about pressing his lips to the hollows of Hartley's collarbone. Feels a little guilty because Ray is right there and Cisco is mentally undressing Hartley. "So how did you fall in with the Snarts?", Hartley continues.

"Went to high school with them, Lisa's my ex."

They dated from 17 through to 19. Until Lisa said that for their similar backgrounds their lives were too different now and Cisco deserved better. He remembers spitting "That's not up to you", back at her but in the end he lets her go. They're just kids and she's his first love. It takes him nearly a year to get over her. 

Hartley glances over at Ray who is making his way over to them, "I guess you do swing that way after all.", it's a call back to that first conversation and that first kiss and Cisco doesn't know how he feels about it.

"Yeah.", he nods, "I do." Every time he says that he feels more confident.

Ray smiles, "I think I'm gonna take Sara home. Want a ride?"

"I think I'll walk, actually."

"Ok.", Ray says nonplussed, "text me when you get home."

Cisco nods, "Of course." And he kisses Ray goodbye.

***

The semester is nearly over and it's snowing when he heads over to Ray's apartment.

"Hey.", Ray seems drawn in as he lets Cisco into the apartment.

"Hey.", Cisco grins and he kissed him quick.

"So we need to talk.", Ray said quietly.

Cisco tenses, "Uh... Ok?"

"So I got an offer for an advanced track PhD program in Gotham. And I can't imagine turning it down. But it starts next semester."

"I wouldn't ask you to.", Cisco reaches for Ray's hand and squeezes.

"I'm not going to ask for long distance if you don't want that."

Cisco pauses. He feels like he did with Lisa, people making decisions for him, but it's the same question, is it worth fighting for this when there are other experiences? "I don't know.", Cisco says finally.

Ray smiles, "I'll miss you."

"Yeah, I'll miss you too.", Cisco whispers.

***

He aces his final exam (and wants to wave the exam in Hartley's smug fucking face).

So he joins Barry, Iris, Caitlin and Ronnie at the The Lab, the school's pub, to celebrate the end of the semester. They split a pitcher of honey lager and nachos and goof off a lot. Caitlin is complaining about taking the MCAT at the end of the next semester. Cisco is listen to Barry complain about having his last exam on the last day of exams, when he notices Hartley eating alone so he steels himself for his own awkwardness and gets up, "Be right back.", he mutters.

He steps up beside Hartley and says, "I aced the final."

"I know.", Hartley muses turning to look at him.

"But now that I have that grade back, I'm not your student any more. So uh," he hands Hartley a napkin, "Call me."

***

He gets the call three days later, at the Wests' Orphan Christmas. A phone call from an unknown number and he answers it, "Hello?"

"Cisco? It's Hartley."

"You called.", Cisco could have actually purred.

"Apparently. I was wondering if you want to come to an open mic night at Siren's Serenade on Saturday."

Cisco smiles, "Sounds fun."

***

Hartley has a great voice and he moves like he enjoys being on stage. It's electric to watch and when Hartley finishes the song, people cheer. Cisco smiles and Hartley grabs a fry off his plate. 

They talk about Hartley's thesis and Dr. Wells. About putting up with the Snarts and dealing with shitty family. Despite that it's not hard to tell Hartley is holding back in a lot of ways.

Their second kiss tastes like the first one, mostly like beer. "My place?"

Cisco tenses, he knows what Hartley's probably expecting. And he and Ray had probably gone slower than people would expect but he has some experience.

"Cisco?", Hartley asks.

"Yeah.", he pauses, "yeah, definitely."

***

They end up on Hartley's couch tugging their shirts off and Cisco traces his hand over a small tattoo on Hartley's rib cage.

"God, I've been thinking about this since the semester started.", Hartley murmurs as he trails kisses down Cisco's throat. 

Cisco tries to laugh but it gets swallowed up in a groan and Hartley smirks, pleased with himself.

"Not bad for a bicurious experiment with my TA?", Cisco smirks as Hartley arches under him.

"Turns out you're not a three beer queer.", Hartley fires back as he pulls Cisco in for another kiss.

"Nope. Just a queer.", he mutters when he gets a moment.

"You are out, right?"

Cisco nods.

"Good, I dated a closeted guy once. It was frustrating. I didn't walk away from my parents to hide who I date.", the bitterness seeps in and it's the first time time Hartley's really opened up that day.

Cisco trails his lips up Hartley's throat with the intention of nibbling on his ear when his mouth finds raised skin, a scar of some type. When Hartley flinches, Cisco recoils back. "Shit, sorry."

Hartley sighs and raises his fingers to his ear. "I was born deaf, my parents had surgeries done so that I would be normal.", and the bitterness is back.

Cisco pauses, "Do you mind if I...?"

"Whatever you do, just don't stop.", Hartley mutters indignantly.

 

***

When the winter semester starts it takes a bit of getting used to. Dr. Wells seems to be just trying to monopolize all of Hartley's time and Cisco swears Wells is ruder to him when he shows up at Hartley's office to say hi or to drop off some coffee.

Sometimes he notices that Wells seems right up in Hartley's space when he shows up. A hand on Hartley's shoulder. A soft "keep up the good work." tossed out with a quirk of his lips.

***

He glances at his phone after he finishes teaching the beginner boxing technique class at Nine Lives. "You should swing by once your class is over.", it'll be the first time he's gotten any extended time with Hartley in a week.

So he knocks on the door of the residence and Hartley opens the door with a sigh, "Sorry it's so late, I swear Wells is trying to hold me hostage in the lab."

"I don't think he likes sharing.", Cisco is only half joking. He's noticed the way Wells looks at Hartley, like he's edible. It makes him sick.

Hartley tenses but doesn't say anything in response. Instead he gets up, makes tea and feed the pet rat. At some point they'll have talk about the elephant in the room that is Harrison Wells. But he feels that way about a lot of things that Hartley implies about his life.

"I could never be a TA.", Cisco laughs.

"Oh?", Hartley asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, teaching drives me nuts."

***

Midterm season hasn't quite started yet when Barry suggests they all go out to The Lab for the night before life starts driving them all nuts again. Cisco is complaining about Dr. Choi's heat transfer class. Choi is a fucking drill Sargent and the material is dense and Hartley stops mid sip of beer and looks at his phone. "Sorry, I uh, have to take this."

And as he walks away, Cisco can clearly hear him say, "How did you get this number?" And then he's out of earshot.

When Hartley comes back he looks shaken but when he sees Cisco looking at him in concern, he returns to his usual neutral expression. And then just picks up his beer and chugs it back.

***

In bed later that night, Cisco finally works up the courage ask, "What was that about at the bar?"

Hartley smiles, his lips drawn tightly together, the smile not reaching his eyes as he rolls over to look at Cisco, "Nothing."

It didn't sound like nothing.

Hartley kisses him and then slips in between Cisco's legs, still tangled in the sheets.

He's deflecting, Cisco knows this, but he's weak for Hartley Rathaway and lets demanding kisses distract him from his concerns.

***

After the third time Hartley blows him off because Wells needs his help, Cisco finds himself at Nine Lives covering the Friday boxing technique class for Oliver who is out of town and correcting the class keeps him distracted. Boxing technique is mostly athletic torture. He currently has the class doing 50 jabs on the heavy bags, letting himself get lost in the electronica he put on.

If he didn't trust so strongly in Wells' creepiness he might be afraid Hartley was cheating on him.

When the class lets out, he's slow leaving the gym, he checks his phone and when he has no missed texts he just plugs in his music and starts whaling on the bag.

"Want to talk about it?", Laurel asks.

"No, not really.", Cisco responds, hitting the bag again.

"When you're ready then.", is all she says back and she grabs some pads.

Cisco smiles, relieved, "Now you're speaking my language."

"That's what I want to see."

And they square up.

After a few rounds, he texts Hartley, "mind if I drop by?"

He doesn't get an answer. Worst case scenario, Hartley is in fact banging someone else.

So he decides to head over there. It's a short drive from Nine Lives and Cisco parks and heads up to the 10th floor. He hears... Shouting? coming from Hartley's apartment and he bangs on the door and Hartley opens the door.

"Cisco, what are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd stop by, since I haven't seen you in a while."

Hartley blinked, "Oh."

Then a huge guy built like a brick shit house yanks the door out of Hartley's grasp, "Who the fuck are you?"

"Uh... I'm Cisco, who are you?"

"He's leaving.", Hartley snaps and huge guy glares at Cisco but leaves.

"Let me know next time.", Hartley snaps.

"I texted you.", Cisco says, and he feels small.

"And when I didn't answer you decided to come over? I could have been balls deep in that guy!"

"Did you? Fuck him, I mean?", his voice is shaking as he looks at Hartley.

"No. God, no."

And it's only then that he looks around Hartley's apartment. There's broken glass on the floor and a chair has been knocked over.

"Hartley... Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, it's fine.", the smile doesn't reach his eyes and his lips are tight, again.

It's so clearly not fine.

***

Things are calm for a while, they keep busy with school and jobs and each other and Cisco almost manages to put the last bout of weirdness behind them.

He's on his way home from the gym when someone shouts in his direction and Cisco stops, turns in that direction.

"So you're the one the little whore moved on to." And the figure takes a swing at him, and Cisco blocks but doesn't hit back.

"What are you talking about?"

"Hartley fucking Rathaway belongs to me. It's better for both of you if you just walk away." And the guy swings at him again. This time Cisco fights back, it's easy to land the hits, hears the satisfying crack of a nose breaking, and eventually huge guy fucks off and Cisco drives home.

***

"Hartley, we need to talk.", Cisco says quietly as they lay on Hartley's bed, mid make out session. "I can't do this if we don't talk about this."

Hartley raises his eyebrow, "Then leave."

Cisco sighs, "Hartley, don't do this, please."

"You're the one that wants to break up."

"I just want to talk. The guy who was in your apartment a few weeks ago tried to jump me yesterday."

Hartley sighs and rolls away from him.

"Hartley, talk to me please."

Hartley lays his palm over his eyes, "His name is Earl Povich. When my parents kicked me out, we met at a homeless shelter and we started dating. The first time he hit me, I figured he was just angry and it wouldn't happen again." Hartley laughs dryly, "I probably don't need to tell you it did. He uh... got out of jail in January. He's been trying to talk to me since then."

"Hartley...", Cisco says quietly, "Why was your ex boyfriend in jail?"

"Six month sentence and restraining order for putting me in the hospital last spring. It was Len who took me to file charges, he and Earl worked together."

"And he's been in contact with you?"

"Since February.", Hartley whispers.

Cisco doesn't want to ask this, is afraid of the answer but has to, "Has anything...has anything happened?"

"He tried. I turned him down.", Hartley explains.

"That was when I dropped by.", Cisco realizes.

Hartley nods.

"Is the restraining order still active?", Cisco asks.

Hartley just nods again.

"Please call cops next time?", Cisco whispers imploringly, brushing his lips against the corner of Hartley's mouth because Hartley won't look at him.

***

Earl shows up at the UM Central QSA drag ball. Cisco has gone to get some drinks and when he turns back Hartley is gone.

"Sara, where is Hartley?"

She blinks, "Uh, some big guy came by and Hartley left with him."

"Left where?"

"I don't know."

Fuck fuck fuck.

He checks the smoking area first. Nope.

Then the bathroom. Shockingly, that's jackpot. Hartley is sitting on the bathroom counter, Earl in between his legs, Earl's big hands on Hartley's thighs and Hartley's hands gripping the counter and they're mid kiss.

"Hartley?", Cisco gasps.

Earl turns around, "Told you he was mine."

"Fuck you, Earl, I don't belong to anyone.", and Hartley tries to shove Earl away.

Earl just catches his wrists and says, "Sure you don't."

Cisco feels frozen in spot, watching as Earl leans over and presses a kiss to Hartley's throat. And Hartley looks like a caged animal, eyes wild and Cisco makes his decision.

"Hi, I think my boyfriend's abusive ex is trying to sexually assault him.", he says calmly and clearly to the 911 operator.

Earl looks at him and lets go of Hartley, shoving him back and Earl takes a swing at Cisco who has been looking forward to taking a pound of flesh since Hartley told him the truth.

It doesn't take too much to knock him out, big guys rely overwhelmingly on strength, Cisco turns the strength on him, uses his speed and smaller stature to keep Earl chasing him. Hartley is holding his phone and talking to someone.

And then Detective West opens the bathroom door.

"Cisco?"

"Earl swung first.", Hartley says.

***

When they leave the precinct after giving their statements, Hartley pauses and he says, "I uh, called a cab. I'm sorry you got mixed into my bullshit."

"Hartley, this doesn't change anything.", Cisco says quietly. "I'm not going to hold your shitty ex against you. Just, I need you to trust me."

Hartley sighs, "I don't know how to do that."

Cisco watches as the cab takes Hartley away.

***

He finishes another marathon session at Nine Lives and turns around to see Hartley sitting on the benches.

He goes to change, trying desperately not to over analyze why Hartley's here. Finally he walks over to Hartley who just says, "Can we try this again?"

Cisco raises an eyebrow, "We never broke up."

Hartley sighs, "Can we go back to my place?"

***

Hartley makes tea and tells him everything. About his first kiss, about getting kicked out, about meeting Earl, about a short lived undergraduate relationship with Dr. Wells.

It won't erase what's happened but it's a start, a chance for them to try again.


End file.
